Iodine in salt by country: levels, legislation and export

Iodine level in salt by country: look up your export country

In the table below you find, for 149 countries, the legal status of salt iodisation (mandatory, voluntary or no policy), the permitted iodine compounds and the permitted iodine level, expressed as elemental iodine in ppm (mg per kg of salt). Search a country, filter by status or region and expand a country for the level per compound, a note and the source of the standard. With the export check below the table you select several export countries and calculate whether a single iodine concentration exists that complies with the standard in all of them.

A few reading tips:

• 1 ppm = 1 mg of iodine per kg of salt. Some countries express their standard in potassium iodate or potassium iodide; in the table everything is converted to elemental iodine (1 mg I = 1.308 mg KI = 1.685 mg KIO₃).
• For countries with mandatory iodisation, the data were checked against the Global Fortification Data Exchange (GFDx).⁵ For voluntary schemes, including within the EU, we rely on national legislation and our own database.
• Countries marked "Extra verification needed" have no unambiguous primary source. Legislation also changes regularly: the table is a tool, not legal advice. Always check the current legislation of the destination country before using this information for recipes or product development, or contact us for tailored advice.

Why do iodine levels differ so much between countries?

There is no universal iodine level. Each country decides for itself whether iodisation is mandatory, which compounds are permitted and how much iodine the salt may or must contain: sometimes a minimum, sometimes a maximum, sometimes a target value with a margin around it. Those choices depend on local eating habits (how much salt, fish and dairy people eat), the iodine content of soil and water, the historical severity of the deficiency and the way the policy is monitored.

Within Europe this produces a patchwork. A few examples from the table (levels as elemental iodine, in mg per kg of salt):

Denmark raised its standard in 2019 explicitly to protect pregnant women better, and the obligation there applies to household salt as well as bread salt.⁶ Outside Europe, mandatory iodisation is the rule rather than the exception: in 129 of the 149 countries in our table, iodisation of food-grade salt is mandatory, often at levels between 20 and 40 mg/kg, in line with the WHO guide value. In Europe voluntary schemes dominate, with low permitted levels in Scandinavian countries such as Norway (max. 5 mg/kg) and higher levels in Southern Europe.

What does this mean for food producers who export?

Most of the salt we consume does not come from the salt shaker but from processed food: bread, cheese, cured meats, soups, sauces and ready meals. In Western diets this accounts for 70 to 80 percent of salt intake.² Whether a population gets enough iodine therefore depends heavily on the choices of the food industry. That is an opportunity, but also a complexity.

The good news first: iodised salt changes nothing about your product or your process. The amounts are so small that you cannot taste them. You use iodised salt exactly like ordinary salt: no different machines, no recalculated recipe. And the iodine stays stable during baking and transport.

The points of attention are on the label and in export:

1. Labelling. "Salt" becomes "iodised salt" in the ingredient list. In Belgium, for example, this obligation applies to prepacked bread.³ Small on paper, but it requires a label change for every product and every market.
2. Different standards per market. Anyone selling the same product in Poland (15 to 30 mg/kg) and France (15 to 20 mg/kg) has to choose a level that is compliant in both countries. The more export countries, the narrower that safe zone becomes. Sometimes no level fits everywhere, and then separate recipes are needed.

That is exactly why the table includes an export check. And that is why we keep track of the standards per country for our customers, advise which iodine level suits which market and have our laboratory check every batch for that level. This lets a producer export with peace of mind, with a product that also carries a credible health story.

Is European harmonisation coming?

At European level, Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 governs which iodine compounds may be added to foods (potassium iodide, sodium iodide, potassium iodate and sodium iodate), but not how much iodine salt may contain.⁷ That level, and whether iodisation is mandatory, remain a national competence. Hence the large differences between member states.

The call for harmonisation is growing louder, though. The 2024 WHO report points out that diverging rules and labelling obligations hold back the use of iodised salt in industry, and argues for iodising salt in processed food.² In March 2025, members of the European Parliament, backed by 65 organisations, called on the EU to develop a harmonised framework for salt iodisation and to align labelling rules.⁸

Concrete European legislation does not yet exist today, however. As long as that is the case, iodisation remains tailor-made per country. As soon as there is clarity at European level, we will adapt our table and our advice accordingly.

What is iodine and why do we need it?

Iodine is a trace element: a substance the body needs only in very small amounts, but cannot make itself. The thyroid uses iodine as the raw material for its hormones, and those hormones drive the metabolism: how fast cells work, energy management, body temperature and, in children, growth and brain development.

Because the body does not produce iodine, it has to come from food. Iodine is naturally found mainly in sea fish, shellfish, seaweed and in milk and dairy, because cows get iodine through their feed. Plant-based foods generally contain little iodine. An adult needs about 150 micrograms of iodine per day; during pregnancy and breastfeeding the requirement is markedly higher.¹

Also read our earlier article Iodine in food: a balanced dose thanks to iodised salt for the daily recommendations per age group.

Iodine deficiency in Europe: an underestimated problem

We often associate iodine deficiency with the past or with distant countries, but that picture is wrong. In June 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO Europe) and the Iodine Global Network warned that people in the European region face a greater risk of iodine deficiency because of changing diets: we eat less fish and dairy and switch more often to plant-based alternatives that contain no iodine. Women are at greater risk than men, and pregnant women are the most vulnerable because their iodine requirement rises sharply. According to the same report, 24 countries in the European region have a voluntary iodine policy or no policy at all.²

In Belgium too, the authorities speak of a latent mild iodine deficiency. A mild deficiency was found in pregnant women, while schoolchildren have been getting enough iodine since the introduction of iodised bread salt. The Superior Health Council therefore recommends an iodine supplement for pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy.^{3, 4}

The consequences of a deficiency depend on its severity. In adults, a prolonged deficiency can lead to an enlarged thyroid, fatigue and a slower metabolism. The most sensitive period is pregnancy and the first years of life: a deficiency can then slow the child's brain development, with lasting consequences. A mild deficiency rarely causes clear symptoms, but it does have a measurable impact at population level.²

Why salt became the carrier of iodine

Worldwide, salt is the carrier of choice for getting iodine to the population, and for practical reasons. Everyone eats salt, every day, in all layers of society. Salt is cheap, available everywhere and intake is fairly constant, which makes dosing predictable. Adding iodine to salt is also technically simple and costs next to nothing. Adding iodine to salt therefore reaches almost the entire population at once, without anyone having to change their habits or take supplements.

That is why the WHO has recommended universal salt iodisation for decades: all salt for household use and for the food industry should be iodised. As a guide value, the WHO gives 20 to 40 mg of iodine per kg of salt, assuming a salt intake of about 10 g per day.¹ Those who eat less salt need a higher concentration to take in the same amount of iodine. Salt reduction and iodisation are therefore not opposites: the WHO stresses that both goals are perfectly compatible, provided the concentration is adjusted to actual salt intake.²

How is iodine added to salt?

Iodine is added to salt as potassium iodate (KIO₃) or potassium iodide (KI); in some countries sodium iodate and sodium iodide are also permitted. The quantities are very small: milligrams per kilogram. At ZOUTMAN, the iodine compound is sprayed as a solution, very finely and evenly, onto the salt while the salt is in motion during production, so that the iodine is distributed homogeneously. We prefer to work with potassium iodate, because it is more stable and less sensitive to moisture and caking.

The real work lies in accuracy. Fine salt is more homogeneous and can therefore be iodised more precisely than coarse salt. Every batch is checked for its iodine level in our own laboratory: during production we take samples continuously and measure the level. A batch only leaves the factory once it meets the customer's specifications and the legislation of the country of destination.

Iodine in salt is also stable. Our own stability tests show that the level is maintained for up to 3.5 years after packaging. Heat, for example when baking bread or during transport to warm countries, has hardly any influence either. Otherwise iodised bread salt would of course make little sense.

Frequently asked questions about iodine in salt

How much iodine is in iodised salt?

It differs by country. The WHO gives 20 to 40 mg of iodine per kg of salt as a guide value. National standards range from under 10 mg/kg (for example Norway) to over 60 mg/kg (for example Spain). Many European countries sit between 15 and 25 mg/kg.

Is iodised salt mandatory in Belgium and the Netherlands?

No. In both countries iodisation is voluntary. Since 2009, Belgium has encouraged the use of iodised bread salt with 10 to 15 mg of iodine per kg of salt through a covenant with the bakery sector. The Netherlands allows a maximum of 25 mg of iodine per kg for kitchen salt and other salt, with a separate scheme for bakery salt.

What is the difference between potassium iodate and potassium iodide?

Both are iodine compounds added to salt. Potassium iodate (KIO₃) is more stable, especially in humid or warm conditions, and is therefore the most widely used. Potassium iodide (KI) is more sensitive to oxidation and moisture. Which compound is permitted differs by country; some countries also allow sodium iodate and sodium iodide.

How do you convert potassium iodate or potassium iodide to iodine?

1 mg of iodine corresponds to 1.308 mg of potassium iodide or 1.685 mg of potassium iodate. A standard of 30 mg of potassium iodide per kg of salt therefore corresponds to about 23 mg of iodine per kg, or 23 ppm.

Can you taste iodine in salt?

No. The amount added is so small, milligrams per kilo, that it has no noticeable effect on the taste, colour or texture of the end product.

Does iodine stay stable during baking, cooking and transport?

Yes. Potassium iodate is stable at the temperatures common in bakeries and the food industry. Our own tests show that the iodine level in packaged salt is maintained for up to 3.5 years.

Does 'iodised salt' have to appear on the label?

Yes. In the ingredient list, 'salt' becomes 'iodised salt', with the compound used stated where required. Less strict rules apply to non-prepacked products, such as bread packed on the premises. Check the labelling requirements of each export country.

Want to hear more about iodine and salt? Listen to the podcast

In the third episode of the FoodTec podcast (in Dutch), made in collaboration with ZOUTMAN, Maarten Delbaere and Thidrek Van Grunderbeeck of ZOUTMAN talk with Björn Crul about iodine deficiency in Europe, salt iodisation, legislation by country and what it means for food producers. You can find the FoodTec podcast on Spotify.

Sources

¹ World Health Organization. Guideline: fortification of food-grade salt with iodine for the prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders. Geneva: WHO; 2014.

² WHO Regional Office for Europe & Iodine Global Network. Prevention and control of iodine deficiency in the WHO European Region: adapting to changes in diet and lifestyle. Copenhagen; 2024, and the accompanying press release of 28 June 2024.

³ FPS Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment (Belgium). FAQ Iodine. health.belgium.be.

⁴ Vandevijvere S. Sodium reduction and the correction of iodine intake in Belgium: policy options. Archives of Public Health; 2012.

⁵ Global Fortification Data Exchange (GFDx). Nutrient levels in fortification standards: salt. fortificationdata.org.

⁶ Fødevarestyrelsen (Danish Veterinary and Food Administration). Bekendtgørelse nr. 613 af 28/05/2019 on raising the iodine level in salt to 20 mg/kg.

⁷ Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods, Annex II.

⁸ Joint statement on tackling iodine deficiency disorders in Europe. Members of the European Parliament and 65 organisations; 25 March 2025.

Other sources for the country table: Iodine Global Network (ign.org), EUsalt, RIVM (2025), BfR (2021), FSANZ and national legislation. Last updated: July 2026.